Device to cut edges of sheets and remove scrap



1965 A. HElLBRUNN 3,200,685

DEVICE TO CUT EDGES OF SHEETS AND REMOVE SCRAP 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledFeb. 4, 1965 INVENTOR Alfred Helrwnn ATTORNEY g- 17, 1955 A. HEILBRUNNDEVICE TO CUT EDGES OF SHEETS AND REMOVE SCRAP Filed Feb. 4, 1963 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Alfred Helrumz ATTORNEY Aug. 17, i965 A.HEILBRUNN DEVICE TO CUT EDGES OF SHEETS AND REMOVE SCRAP 5 Sheets-Sheet5 Filed Feb. 4, 1963 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,206,685DEVICE TU CUT EDGES 0F SHEETS AND REMQVE SCRAP Alfred Heilhrnnn,Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Topps Chewing Gum, Incorporated, Erooklyn,N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 255,898 8Claims. (Cl. 83--98) This invention relates to a cutter device, and moreparticularly to a printing press and cutter device. Still moreparticularly, this invention relates to a printing press for printingdiscrete sheets as opposed to an extended web, such press including anovel cutting device for severing relatively thin marginal edge portionsof sheets in the course of the printing process, whereby to provideprinted sheets wherein the printing on the sheets is precisely locatedwith respect to at least one marginal edge portion of the sheets.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a high speed cuttingand printing device for sheets whereby the printing is precisely locatedon the sheets with respect to certain marginal edges of the sheets.

This invention further relates to novel means for severing marginaledges of sheets during the printing process, which means includeapparatus for clearing the severed scrap material formed in the courseof the cutting operation from the remainder of the printing apparatus,to assure that the scrap will not foul the printing apparatus andthereby involve maintenance problems and requiring costly shut downs.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to means for severingmarginal edges of sheets with extreme accuracy, whereby the edges of theresultant sheets are perfectly parallel with each other and areprecisely oriented with respect to printing formed on the sheets in thecourse of severing the marginal edges.

Certain manufacturing operations require the formation of intermediateproducts comprising sheets of material having printing thereon. Saidintermediate products are thereafter subjected to additionalmanufacturing steps, such as stamping, slitting, folding and the like.Where multi-color printing is desired, sheets first processed arethereafter fed through sequential printing operations, during whichoperations the images formed in the first printing step must beaccurately oriented with respect to the images provided by thesubsequent opera tions. For the additional manufacturing steps aforesaidto be performed accurately with respect to printed matter appearing onthe sheets, it is necessary that the printed matter be located preciselywith respect toat least certain of the marginal edges of the sheets. Anexample of such manufacturing process is the fabrication of noveltycards, such as are often distributed with chewing gum or like products.In such manufacture, a sheet printed with an entire series of the cardsis located within an apparatus, Which apparatus punches the sheet into aplurailty of small cards, which cards are subsequently in cluded in thepackage with the chewing gum or the like.

It will be readily recognized that for economical manufacture, theindividual impressions on the sheets to be punched are preferablyclosely located one with respect to the other to minimize waste.However, such close orientation of the impressions creates problems, ifthe impressions themselves are not precisely located with respect to themarginal edges used to locate the sheets Within the device for severingunits from the sheets. Thus, for instance, if the impressions formed onthe large sheet are disposed as little as apart, and if the over-allimpression on the large sheet is located as little as A3" away from theoptimum position of location on ice.

the large sheet, it will be evident that the sub-dividing process,wherein the cards are separated from the sheet, will be carried out in amanner to result in multilation of the cards. The problem is magnifiedby the fact that the paper or cardboard sheets received from themanufacturers, while roughly similar in size, do not conform to thetolerances required where subsequent processing steps, such as thosepreviously described, are to be car-. ried out on the printed sheet. Ihave determined that the requisite accuracy of alignment of the printedmatter relative to the edge is achieved only if the edge trimming andprinting are simultaneously carried out.

In the past, a known expedient for providing parallel, accurately spacedapart marginal edges on cardboard has been continuously to advance anextended web of paper or cardboard beneath spaced slitter knives. Itwill be evident that the edges formed by the knives will be accuratelyspaced apart. Also, it is known to form parallel edges in a. sheet bydie stamping or otherwise maintaining the sheet on a flat surface.However, severing of the edges of sheets of material, as opposed to anextended web, presents problems not present in the slitting of a web.Moreover, attempts to form parallel sheets by slitting marginal edgestherefrom While the sheets are being processed by being disposed aboutthe periphery of a cylinder, such as the impression cylinder of aprinting press, poses problems not involved in severing such edges froma web, or from a sheet while the sheet is supported on a flat surface.Specifically, attempts heretofore made to form parallel marginal slitsalong the side edges of a sheet while the same is being processed by animpression cylinder have, inter alia, resulted in the formation ofsheets wherein the trailing portions are wider than the leading portionsof the sheets.

I have discovered that by providing a cutting assembly as more fullyhereinafter described, this problem is surmounted and sheets havingaccurate parallel edges may be formed by slitting away marginal portionsof relatively non-uniform sheets during the printing of said sheets.

A further drawback to the development of apparatus for slitting away themarginal edges of sheets during the printing thereof has been theinability to cope with the marginal edge waste or scrap severed from thesheets. Particularly, the problem is aggravated by the lack ofuniformity with which the strips are severed from the matrix portion ofthe sheet. In some instances, the scrap will be cleanly displaced fromthe remainder of the sheets and will fall clear of the sheets. In otherinstances, particularly after periods of long use'of the apparatus, thescrap may, at certain points, remain partially connected to the matrixsheets. In either instance, it is possible that the scrap may fall freeor be carried to an advance position with respect to the printingdevice, whereupon the same may be separated from the sheets at anintermediate position, thereby in certain instances falling into thechain drive of the machine and requiring removal of the scrap from thechain drive. Also, in certain instances, the scrap may become foldedover upon itself and become interposed between the printing surfaces andthe sheets, causing a blank or ink-free area on the sheets, and thusdestroying the entire sheet.

Attempts in the past physically or mechanically to remove the scrap havebeen unsuccessful. Often such removal apparatus has caused the strips totear or has been otherwise ineffective in separating the scrap from thesheets. By the novel apparatus hereinafter set forth, clean andconsistent scrap removal is assured, the removed scrap being conductedto a convenient disposal point clear of the printing apparatus. Further,the removal apparatus assures that the strips are not torn in the courseof removal.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a printingapparatusfor sheets of material whereby sever ing of marginal edgeportions of the sheets may be accurately effected during the printingoperation, to secure accurate coordination between the location of theprinted matter and the edges of the imprinted sheets.

A further, object of the invention is to provide a printing press havingcutting apparatus for removal of marginal edges of printed sheetswherein a precise parallel condition of the marginal edges of theprinted sheets is assured.

A further object of the invention is to provide a printing press andcutting means of the type described having novel scrap removal means toassure clean separation between the sheets and the scrap and to furtherassure that the severed scrap is removed to a positionclear of theapparatus, and thus is not premitted to foul or clog the apparatus, orotherwise-interfere with subsequent manufacturing steps.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein orbe hereinafter pointed out, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of portion of a printing press andcutter device in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the device of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a magnified section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a magnified fragmentary vertical section taken on the line5-5 of FIGURE 2;

. FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary plan view the device;

FIGURE 7 is a magnified section taken on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a magnified vertical ection taken on the line 88 of FIGURE6.

The invention herein is illustrated in conjunction with of a portion ofa conventional printing press, said press including the usual frame 1%,having supported thereon, inter alia, an impression cylinder 11, adelivery cylinder 12, the axis of rotation of each of which ishorizontally disposed in the usual manner. The operation of the press isin all respects conventional and well understood, and will be describedonly insofar as is germane to an understanding of the improvementshereof.

To the frame 10, which includes spaced parallel frame elements 13, 14,there is mounted a cutter support assembly bar 15. The assembly 15,which is horizontally disposed, is rendered laterally adjustable betweenthe members 13, 14 by any suitable means, such as a threaded stub shaft16 passing through the frame element 13 and through a support bracket17, welded or otherwise affixed It will be understood that theimpression cylinder 11 is provided in the usual manner with an imageforming surface which is periodically inked. Sheets stacked on a feedheard (not shown) aredelivered in the usual manner to the grippers 21,FIGURE 5, which grippers are keyed to a cam actuated rocker shaft 22disposed within a hollowed portion of the impressioncylinder 11. In theusual manner, the gripped'sheets are carried between the impressioncylinder 11'and a rubber cylinder 23,

to said frame element. An adjustment handle 13 includes a boss 19,rotatably mounted to bracket 17, it being understood that the boss 19 isfixed against lateral mov ment with respect to bracket 1'7. 7 The boss1E9 is internally threaded over the portion 16 and it will bereadilyrecognized that upon rotation in either direction of the handle 18, theentire support bar assembly will be shifted laterally with respect tothe frame 10. Frictional or positive locking means may beprovidedbetween the bracket 17 and the boss 19 to prevent accidentallyshifting the cutter assembly bar 15.

i The end 2% of the cutter assembly bar 15 is keyed non rotatably butslidably to the frame element 14. For this purpose, the end 20 may hesquared, as shown, and may be sleeved within a complemental squaredaperture formed in element 14, it being understood that any suitablemeans permitting sliding movement of the, cutter assembly bar 15 butretarding relative rotation between the assembly bar 15 and the framemay be substituted.

thereby imprinting the sheets, the same being thereafter carried to thedelivery cylinder 12. The delivery cylinder is similarly provided withgrippers which engage the sheets as the same are released by thegrippers 21 of the impression cylinder, the delivery cylinder thuscarrying the printed sheets to a delivery area. Thegripper assembly isin all respects conventional and its operation is well understood bythose skilled in the art. V

The impression cylinder 11 is provided with a series of circumferentialbands 24, which bands are preferably formed of thin guage spring steelin the order of thickness of about .0012". The bands are preferablysecured about the impression cylinder by means of a clamp assembly 25,see FIGURE 5, which assembly optionally may be supported on the rockershaft 22. It will be understood that the clamp assembly is rotatablymounted on said shaft and does not articulate with the shaft. The clampassembly 25 includes band locking portions 26, 27, Within which theopposite extremities 24a, 24b of the bands 24 are received. It will berecognized that other clamp means may be employed to accomplish thispurpose, and the included expedient is illustrative only.

It will similarly be recognized that thef'bands 24, three of which areshown in FIGURE 2, may be adjusted laterally along the shaft 22 and maybe locked by any suitable mechanism, such as by pairs of spacer collars(not shown), clamped to shaft 22 at any laterally adjusted positionalong said shaft. 7

As will be more fully understood from the ensuing description, thecentermost band 214' will, for normal operation, be adjusted to underliethe longitudinal center line of sheets to be processed, the outer ormarginal bands 24, 24 being adjusted to underlie the marginal portionsof such sheets. It will, however, be recognizedthat the bands may bepositioned in any desired manner or numher to suit the specificconditions of sheet size, desired number of slittin'gs, etc.

Supported on the cutter support bar assembly 15 are a plurality ofspaced cutter knife members 39, as best seen in FIGURE 1. Thelk nifeassemblies are laterally adjustably supported on, and, non-rotatablykeyed to, the cutter support bar assembly 15 by any suitable adjustmentmeans, such as the split block portion 31. The block portion 31 includesa keying spline 32, entering a keyway slot 33 formed in the cutter barsupport assembly 15, the split portions of the block 31 being mounted intight engagement against the bar 15 by belts or the like (not shown),threaded between the halves or portions of the block.

, The cutter assembly 3@ is likewise of conventional construction andincludes ayoke 34, to which yoke there'is pivotally afiixed a cutter arm35, carrying at its outer end 36 a rotatably mounted cutter knife blade37. The arm 3 5 is biased toward impression cylinder 11 by a spring 38sleeved over threaded shaft 3 9. End 40 of the shaft 39 is pivotallyconnected to the arm 35, the opposite end of the spring being biased,respectively, against tension control nut 41 carried by the shaft and aspring seat 42 formed on the yoke 34. It will be readily recognized thatbyuthreading the nut d1 toward or away from;the seat 42., the tensionwith which the knife 37 will be urged toward the impression cylinder 11may be adjusted. The. throw or. movement ofthe knife 37toward'impression cylinder 11 is controlled by a limit nut 43 which isthreaded over shaft 39.- The shaft 39 extends through a hollowed portionin the yoke 34, it being understood that the leading or forward portion44 of nut 43 will engage against the shoulder 45 of the yoke and willthus limit the movement of the knife 37 toward the impression cylinder11, depending upon the adjusted position of the nut 43 along the shaft39. Locking means, such as a knurled nut 46, maintains the nut 43 in thedesired adjusted position.

Three identical cutter assemblies are shown in FIG- URE 2, the centerone, for convenience, being denominated 30a. It will be recognized thatthe position of the cutter assemblies 30, 36a, 30* along the shaft willdepend upon the Width of the sheets to be processed, as will thepositioning of the bands 24, 24', 2.4. It will similarly be noted thatonce the spacing of cutters 30 from the central cutter 39a is fixed, thethree cutters may be adjusted laterally as a unit through the use of theadjustment handle 18, which serves to move the entire cutter bar supportassembly 15 as a unit.

Further mounted to the cutter bar support assembly 15 are a series ofhold down roller assemblies 50, FIGURE 3. The roller assemblies areadjustable longitudinally along but non-rotatably mounted on said cutter'bar support assembly 15 by clamp blocks 51, 5 2, which may be boltedtogether at any desired position by bolts (not shown), the block 51including a spline 53 which enters the keyway slot 33 in the cuttersupport bar assembly 15. The hold down roller assemblies 50 include ahold down arm 54, centrally supported at 55 on an extension 56 of theblock portion 51. A spring 57 is biased between the block 51 and theupper section 58 of the arm 54, said spring tending to urge the roller59, rotatably carried on the end 60 of the arm 54, toward the impressioncylinder 11. A threaded stud 61, extending upwardly from the blockportion 51, passes through an aperture (not shown) in the upper armsection 58, A nut 62, threaded on the stud 61, bears against the end 5-8of the arm 54, thereby limiting the upward pivotal movement of the end58 of the arm and concomitantly determining the approach position of theroller 59 as respects the impression cylinder 11.

As best seen in FIGURE 1, the roller 59, in the operative condition ofthe device, engages against a sheet being processed in the device at aleading position with respect to the cutter knives, i.e. slightly inadvance of the position at which the sheet would be engaged between thecutter knives 37 and the anvil or hands 24, 24', 24.

It will thus be seen that as the sheets are imprinted and pass beneathhold down rollers 59, the same are immediately thereafter slit bypassing between the cutter knives 37 and bands 24. It will be recognizedthat the cut edges formed by the action of the cutter knives 37 will beparallel to each other and will be precisely located with respect to thematter rinted upon the sheets. Notwithstanding the high speeds at whichthe cylinders operate, ie in excess of six hundred feet per minute, nosignificant divergence of the lines of cutting is experienced in the useof the device, in contrast to attempts heretofore made to providemarginal slits during the printing operation of sheets. The parallelismof the slits formed, notwithstanding the same are adjacent the marginsof the sheets, is attributed in part to the use of hold down rollers 59in leading position as respects the cutter knives 37. Without limitationthereto, it is believed that ast failures to provide successful parallelmarginal sheet slitting devices is due to the fact that inherent insheet printing operations, particularly Where relatively heavy cardboardsheets are processed, the centrifugal force, when imposed upon thesheets, induces the central portion of said sheets to leave the surfaceof the impression cylinder. The effect of centrifugal force is morepronounced toward the end or last portion of the sheet to be slit.Moreover, the tendency toward separation between the sheets and thesurface of the cylinder is increased by the provision of cutter kniveshaving generally wedge-shaped cutting actions, such wedge-shaped actionstending to urge the portions of the sheet to each side of the cuttingline away from the cutter knives, and thus inducing a slack conditionbetween the knives.

Without limitation, it is believed that the utilization of a pluralityof hold down rollers located at a slight leading position as respectsthe cutter knives, together with the engagement of said rollers againstthe sheets at a point closer to the axis of rotation than the point ofengagemerit of the cutter knives against the anvils or bands 24 alsocontributes to the success of the device in forming parallel slits.

It will be recognized that as a result of the preceding operations,narrow marginal strips or edge portions of the sheets will becomeseparated from the mass of the sheets and the ensuing descriptionrelates to means for removing said strips so that the same do not becomeentangled within the chain drive device of the printing press (notshown) or otherwise become fouled in the printing apparatus.

The strip removal apparatus comprises a lead-in chute assembly 109 and astrip removal carrier assembly 101. The chute assembly includes a chute.102 having an entrance or guide lip 103 disposed in close adjacency tothe area of contact of the two outermost cutter knives 37 and the outeranvils or hands 24, The removal assemblies which are associated withknives 30, 30 are in all respects identical, and consequently thedescription of one will suffice.

The lip 103 is located in the area between the impression cylinder 11and a line tangent to the periphery of the band 24 at the point Wherethe band engages the cutter knife 37. It will be recognized that bylocating the lip 103 in the manner set forth, advantage is taken of thetendency of strip S, which is severed from the main sheet, to uncurl orstraighten from the curved position assumed when the sheet is forced toconform with the outline of the cylinder M. More specifically, the stripS which is caused in the printing process to follow the periphery of theimpression cylinder i l, by reason of its natural resilience, will tendto spring away from the periphery and the leading edge of the stripbeyond the knife 37 will normally tend to pass over the lip 103 and intothe chute 102. Optionally and preferably, the leading edge of the stripis guided into the chute by an air jet developed by compressed airforced through an air guide device 104.

The air guide device 1694 is oriented to direct the air jet laterallyoutwardly and radially away from the surface of the impression cylinder'11. The air direction above noted will function to aid in eading theend of the strip S over the lip 1&3 and will, at the same time, avoidany dispersion of the ink remaining on the impression cylinder 11.

It has been determined, for optimum efliciency in removing the strips,that it is important that the strip removing means mechanically shiftthe strips at a speed which somewhat exceeds the linear speed ofmovement of the strip while the same is carried about the impressioncylinder 11. It has also been found that eificient removal of the stripsis best accomplished if the strips are not torn. It will be readilyunderstood that a transfer of the strips to a more rapidly moving stripremoval means might ordinarily be expected to induce a tearing of thestrips. The removal means hereinafter described has been foundsubstantially free from any tendency to tear the strips.

The removal apparatus 101 comprises a guideway 105 which extendsangularly as respects the frame element 13. The guideway includesopposed parallel wall portions 196, lltl7. Disposed within and forming afloor for the guideway MP5 is an endless belt member 168 comprising abroad band of material, such as rubber or the like, having a relativelyhigh coefiicient of friction. The belt M8 is driven at a linear speedexceeding the speed of the impression cylinder by a motor 109 having apulley 110 connected to a pulley 111 by a further belt 112.

over which the belt 1% passes.

themselves, against the upper surface of the belt. .spring pressedtension roller 119 is urged against the tions 122 thereon forfacilitating removal. .members 121 lie in the space between the adjacenttop .and are rapidly shifted outwardly from the device.

7 The pulley 111 is, in turn, fixed to a drive roll-er 113,

Beneath the belt, between the flights thereof, are disposed a series ofsup- 1 port idler rollers 114, the upper surfaces of which engageagainst the undersurface of the belt 108 and support the samesubstantially in a horizontal plane.

Wall assemblies 166, 107 are provided with a series of lvertical slotsor grooves 106a, 107a, withinwhich slots or grooves are disposed stubshafts 115, 115, extending beyond the ends of top idler rollers 116. Theidler rollers 16 preferably include spaced annular shoulder portions117, 117, and a central cylindrical portion 118, the shoulders 117 beingofslightly greater diameter than the portion 118 and lying, under theweight of the rollers A underflight of the belt by springs 12%, 120 andmaintains the desired degree of tension in the belt.

The assembly is completed by the provision of a plurality of'cap members121, preferably having handle por- The cap rollers 116, the trailingportions 123 of the cap members being directed downwardly or toward thebelt 108. The cap members are supported between the walls 106, 197 in amanner so that the same are maintained by their weight in a positionclosely adjacent to the belt 108 but yet not touching the surface of thesame. The forwardmost cap portion 121a additionally includes a leadingdeflector portion 124 adjacent the exit of chute 102,.said

deflector serving to facilitate entry of the strip ends into theguideway 105.

The operation :of the device will be readily understood from theforegoing description. Sheets carried by a feed board or the like areserially fed to a position where they may be engaged by gripper fingers21 of the impression cylinder 11 and, in the usual manner, are guidedbetween the impression cylinder and rubber cylinder 23, causing the sameto be imprinted with any desired image. At the conclusion of printing,the marginal edges of the sheets outwardly of the line of contactbetween the knives 37 and bands 24 are cleanly severed from the sheets,the sheets being maintained against the surface of the impressioncylinder by the hold down rollers 59. As the leading edges of the stripsS just severed from the margins of the sheets pass the contact area,between the knives and the bands, the same uncurl and under theuncurling influence and the optional additional influence 'of airsupplied through the air jet 1M, the strips are led over the entrancelip 103 of the chute assembly 100. .The strips are led by the chute intoa guideway 105, the

.along the path of movement of the belt. As the strips continue to beshifted rearwardly, they are engaged between the portions 118 of idlerrolls 116 and the belt, It has been determined that notwithstanding theaccelerated movement imparted to the strips, a tendency for the :stripsto be torn during such acceleration is minimized by the provision,first, of an angularly directed belt and, second, by the partialacceleration of the strip ends induced by the preliminary contactbetween such ends and the belt 108 before the same are positively drivenby passing between the belt and the idler rollers.

It will be noted that preferably the speed of the belt .is such that thestrips are ejected with considerable rapid- .ity from the outer end ofthe guideway 105, at which point may be located any suitable wastecontainer.

The freely floating idler rollers 116 areself-clearing,

.i.e. should several layers of the scrap material accumulate toattenuate the pressure applied to the strips by raising the rollers toreduce the direct pressure of the rollers on the belt and increase theforce with which the rollers bear against the scrap, whereby the scrapis more tightly compress-ed between the rollers and the belt.

referably the positioning of the first idler roller 116a is such thatthe leading edge of each strip is compressed between said idler rollerand the 'belt before the strip is completely severed from the sheet. Itshould be noted that the support idler rollers 114 are preferablydisposed directly beneath the upper idler rollers 116 to assure asufficient compression of the strips between the top rollers 116 and thetop flight of the belt.

The free floating action of the cap members 121 aids in the continuityof service of the device by minimizing the likelihood of the occurrenceof jams within the device, by accommodating plural layers of scrapwithout requiring shut downs to effect clearance.

It will be understood that the embodiment of the in vention hereindescribed is for illustrative purposes only, and that the same may bevaried in form without departing from the spirit of the invention.v

While the present invention is illustrated in conjunction with astandard printing press, it should be noted that it isuseful inconnection with other forms of printing, embossing or like devices whereregistration is required. I

Likewise, the invention is not to ,be limited to the cutter or gripperdevices as illustrated, but. it will be readily recognized that theinvention may be used in conjunction with a device having other cuttersand other means for positively securing the sheet with respect to thecylinders.

While the illustrated apparatus employs bands adjustably fixed about theimpression cylinder, it should be noted that substitutes for the bands,such as sleeves or an endless belt may be employed. Where a hardenedimpression cylinder is used, it maybe possible, in certain instances, todispense entirely with the bands.

Further, it has been found that where thesheets comprise lightweightpaper, a suction system positioned beneath the cutter may beadvantageously employed to lead away the scrap.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what isclaimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a high speed printing device or the like for handling paper andcardboard including an impression cylinder, a delivery cylinder, andgripper means for guiding' and thereafter transferring discrete sheetsfrom said impression to saiddelivery cylinder, a cutter assemblyincluding cutter knife means carried by the frame of said press andyieldably biased toward said impression cylinder, annular anvil meanscarried by and extending radially beyond the periphery of saidimpression cylinder adjacent an end thereof, said anvil means being inengagernent, with said knife means, hold down means yieldably biasedtoward said impression cylinder and maintained in proximate spacedrelation thereto, said hold down means including contact portionsdisposed closer to the axis of rotation of said impression cylinder thanthe point of engagement of said knife means and anvil means, said holddown means being in immediate leading position with respect to the pointof engagement of said cutter knife and anvil, and waste removal meanscarried by said frame and positioned laterally outwardly with respecttosaid cutter knife to receive'scrap portions of said sheets, said wasteremoval means being laterally vangularly oriented with respectto theaxis of rotation of said impression cylinder and including scrap removalmeans operating at a linear speed in excess of the linear speed of saidimpression cylinder, said scrap removal means including a conveyor belt,and an idler roller yieldably urged'against said belt, the severed scrapportions being guided between said belt and roller.

2. In a sheet printing press or the like having a frame, an impressioncylinder and delivery cylinder mounted for rotation on said frame,gripper means on said cylinders for holding and transferring sheets fromone said cylinder to the other, and a sheet trimmer means including aknife operating against an anvil fixed to and extending beyond theperiphery of said impression cylinder for severing a relatively thinmarginal scrap edge portion from said sheet, a scrap removal meanscomprising a chute having an entrance lip adjacent the periphery of saidimpression cylinder in trailing position with respect to said knife,said lip being disposed between said impression cylinder and a linetangent to said anvil at the point of contact of said anvil and saidknife, an extended guideway communicating with said chute, said guidewayhaving a floor portion defined by an endless belt driven at a linearspeed in excess of the linear speed of said impression cylinder, saidfloor being angularly oriented with respect to a plane normal to theaxis of rotation of said cylinder, said guideway including at least oneidler roller adjacent-the entrance of said guideway and disposed abovesaid floor portion and having its axis of rotation parallel with theplane of said belt and having a peripheral portion contacting said belt,said roller being yieldably urged against said belt and having its axismovable away from said belt.

3. A printing press in accordance with claim 2 wherein there areprovided a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart idler rollers andsaid guideway includes vertically shiftable top plate portions defininga roof for said guide- Way, said portions being supported in proximatespaced relation to said belt, said top plate portions includingdeflector portions directed downwardly toward said belt, said deflectorportions being disposed in proximate leading position with respect tosaid idler rollers.

4. A printing press in accordance with claim 2 wherein said idler rolleris of generally cylindrical conformation and includes laterally spacedapart annular shoulders extending radially beyond the major body portionof said roller, whereby said shoulders engage said belt and the majorportion of the periphery of said roller is spaced from said belt.

5. A printing press in accordance with claim 4 wherein said shouldersare of a thickness about equal to the thickness of the sheets to beprocessed.

6. A printing press in accordance with claim 2 and including means forprojecting an air jet, said means being positioned adjacent said lip ofsaid chute and being oriented to guide a stream of air outwardly awayfrom the periphery of said impression cylinder and toward said lip,thereby to uncurl said scrap edge portion and urge the same laterallyaway from the main body portion of said sheet.

7. In a printing press or the like having an impression cylinder, adelivery cylinder and gripper means for guiding and thereaftertransferring discrete sheets sequentially from said impression to saiddelivery cylinder, a cutter assembly for accurately, longitudinallydividing a single sheet into two identical sheets comprising threeannular band members adjustably fixed to and extending beyond theperiphery of said impression cylinder, two of said bands being disposed,respectively, adjacent the opposite ends of said impression cylinder andbeing spaced apart to be beneath the opposite marginal edge portions ofsaid sheets, said third band member being centered between said twobands, rotary cutter knife members supported on the frame of said pressand yieldably urged against the outer periphery of said bands, the outertwo said knives being equally spaced from the center knife, a pluralityof laterally spaced apart hold down rollers yieldably urged toward theperiphery of said impression cylinder and maintained in proximate spacedrelation thereto, said rollers being disposed in immediate leadingposition across said cylinder with respect to said cutter knives, atleast one said hold down roller being disposed in inward close adjacencyto said outermost bands, the periphery of said roller being closer tothe surface of said impression cylinder than the outer periphery of saidband a pair of chute members mounted on said frame for the receipt ofthe severed scrap edges of said sheets, said chute members includingentrance lip portions located, respectively, in proximate spacedrelation to the points of contact of said knives with said outermostbands, said lips of said chutes being disposed between said impressioncylinder and a line tangent to said outermost bands at the point ofcontact of said bands and said knives whereby the uncurling tendency ofthe leading edge of a severed strip will tend to lift said edge awayfrom said cylinder and over said lip.

8. In a sheet printing press or the like having a frame, an impressioncylinder and delivery cylinder mounted for rotation on said frame,gripper means on said cylinders for holding and transferring sheets fromone said cylinder to the other, and a sheet trimmer means including aknife operating against an anvil on the periphery of said impressioncylinder for severing a relatively thin marginal scrap edge portion fromsaid sheet, scrap removal means comprising a chute having an entrancelip adjacent the periphery of said impression cylinder in trailingposition with respect to said knife, said lip being disposed betweensaid impression cylinder and a line tangent to said anvil at the pointof contact of said anvil and said knife, an extended guidewaycommunicating with said chute, said guideway having a floor portiondefined by the upper surface of an endless belt driven at a linear speedin excess of the linear speed of said impression cylinder, said floorbeing angularly oriented with respect to a plane normal to the axis ofrotation of said cylinder, said guideway including at least one idlerroller having its axis of rotation parallel with the plane of said beltand having a lower peripheral portion contacting said upper surface ofsaid belt and a central portion spaced from said belt.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 243,767 7/81Flanders 83-434 668,915 2/01 Fromm 83505 1,131,146 3/15 Langston 83981,865,302 6/32 Cameron 83505 2,084,967 6/37 Babb 83-105 2,133,595 10/38Thomas 83110 2,394,956 2/46 Weber 83--155 2,417,556 3/47 Kramer 831653,039,146 5/63 Bulk 83-434 ANDREW R. JU I-IASZ, Primary Examiner,

1. IN A HIGH SPEED PRINTING DEVICE OR THE LIKE FOR HANDLING PAPER ANDCARDBOARD INCLUDING AN IMPRESSION CYLINDER, A DELIVERY CYLINDER, ANDGRIPPER MEANS FOR GUIDING AND THEREAFTER TRANSFERRING DISCRETE SHEETSFROM SAID IMPRESSION TO SAID DELIVERY CYLINDER, A CUTTER ASSEMBLYINCLUDING CUTTER KNIFE MEANS CARRIED BY THE FRAME OF SAID PRESS ANDYIELDABLY BIASED TOWARD SAID IMPRESSION CYLINDER, ANNULAR ANVIL MEANSCARRIED BY AND EXTENDING RADIALLY BEYOND THE PERIPHERY OF SAIDIMPRESSION CYLINDER ADJACENT AN END THEREOF, SAID ANVIL MEANS BEING INENGAGEMENT WITH SAID KNIFE MEANS, HOLD DOWN MEANS YIELDABLY BIASEDTOWARD SAID IMPRESSION CYLINDER AND MAINTAINED IN PROXIMATE SPACEDRELATION THERETO, SAID HOLD DOWN MEANS INCLUDING CONTACT PORTIONSDISPOSED CLOSER TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID IMPRESSION CYLINDER THANTHE POINT OF ENGAGEMENT OF SAID KNIFE MEANS AND ANVIL MEANS, SAID HOLDDOWN MEANS BEING IN IMMEDIATE LEADING POSITION WITH RESPECT TO THE POINTOF ENGAGEMENT OF SAID CUTTER KNIFE AND ANVIL, AND WASTE REMOVAL MEANSCARRIED BY SAID FRAME AND POSITIONED LATERALLY OUTWARDLY WITH RESPECT TOSAID CUTTER KNIFE TO RECEIVE SCRAP PORTIONS OF SHEETS, SAID WASTEREMOVAL MEANS BEING LATERALLY ANGULARLY ORIENTED WITH RESPECT TO THEAXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID IMPRESSION CYLINDER AND INCLUDING SCRAP REMOVALMEANS OPERATING AT A LINEAR SPEED IN EXCESS OF THE LINEAR SPEED OF SAIDIMPRESSION CYLINDER, SAID SCRAP REMOVAL MEANS INCLUDING A CONVEYOR BELT,AND AN IDLER ROLLER YIELDABLY URGED AGAINST SAID BELT, THE SEVERED SCRAPPORTIONS BEING GUIDED BETWEEN SAID BELT AND ROLLER.